[Image via AMC] So I really didn’t think AMC could top last week’s episode of The Walking Dead. However, this episode comes pretty damn close! Here’s what went down in Episode 14 (entitled “Twice As Far”) of season 6 of The Walking Dead:

CF:Oh, yeah. They managed to top last week. Though it seems like it was kinda scattershot. 🙂

We start this episode with Groundhog Day. Over and over again we get to see Alexandria doing the same thing, day in, day out. But there is a point to this–of sorts, which we will see at the end. Most important to note is the fact Carol (Melissa McBride) is chain smoking and PTSDing pretty hardcore. The other important thing is the fact Daryl (Norman Reedus) fessing up to the fact he should have killed Dwight (remember him, he’s the blonde guy who stole Daryl’s bike back…

There isn’t any snow outside, though on Friday I heard people at work promising that snow was a-coming. I was right, they was wrong, and now I gotta figure out what I’m gonna wear to work today, though I got a good idea about what it’ll be. Still, though: do not doubt me when I say the snow isn’t coming. Don’t ever doubt it.

I was back in the maps for a little while yesterday afternoon, mostly because I was figuring out some of these side trips for my kids when the time comes for them to finally get a summer together and to take a trip. Some of them are rather interesting, and one of these days, maybe two, three years from now I’ll write about that. Yeah, I know: that’s a long ways off in the future, and I may not be around even. Well, I don’t have a time machine, so it’s impossible to go back and write these so everyone’s getting them now.

The question did come up about would they be traveling alone or with a chaperon. And the answer is–not the first option. Remember, they aren’t part of Normal society, they just live there. Also, The Foundation has different rules about their people that we do, and part of the schooling at Salem is for kids to go off for a year on The Foundation’s dime and spend it traveling the world doing whatever they like–while they are seventeen and eighteen years of age. For someone like Kerry this means spending most of that Real Life Experience–as it’s called–technically as a minor, but The Foundation doesn’t worry about that ’cause reasons.

The last thing to remember is that, as pointed out in other areas, The Foundation hides in plain sight, and you’d be surprised how many places have little tie-ins here and there to those world-watching witches. Hotels, stores, restaurants–I mean, you’re already seen the Sea Sprite Inn, the bed and breakfast where they have a kinda-hidden floor reserved just for witches. That’s just a small example: think bigger and remember The Foundation got its start in Europe.

The biggest issue that could play out in my kids taking a trip on their own as teenagers can be expressed in one word: hormones. As in they have them. But then, they’re away at school for nine months out of a year, and they have a private lab in the lower levels of their coven tower, and Annie found them a hidey-hole off in the tunnels under the grounds, and what could happen in a hotel room in Europe that can’t happen behind the walls of Salem?

Anyway, I wouldn’t worry about that stuff now. It’s going to happen at some point in their future, and they’ll be wiser and probably a hell of a lot deadlier than they are now. I’d be less worried about them, um, “exploring”, then I would about what they might do to some foolish American tourist who cuts their queue while they’re waiting to get a lemon ice–

“Don’t worry: we’ll be good. Witches honor.”

Sure, kids: I believe ya.

But that’s then, this is now, and the kids are back in the hospital waiting. What are they waiting for? The doctor, whom else? But while they wait, things are sorta happening . . .

All excerpts from The Foundation Chronicles, Book Two: B For Bewitching, copyright 2015, 2016 by Cassidy Frazee)

Nurse Gretchen was waiting in the doorway of Coraline’s office when Annie and Kerry returned to the hospital. Her instructors to them were simple: they were to change into their pajamas and see to their evening bathroom routine. If they wished a snack Gretchen would place an order with the kitchen and have it sent up, otherwise once they were finished preparing to settle in for the evening they could wait in Bay #1 for Coraline.

Kerry knew what sounded best for him, and he knew Annie would things so as well.

The mlechna banitsa and ayran were in place on table in the waiting area near the lift when they came out of the bathrooms at nearly the same time. As they sat Annie mentioned once again that she suspected the kitchen used an enchantment to determine when the people placing nighttime snack orders were finished with their bathroom routines and were ready to eat, because it appeared that every time they had a snack sent to the hospital, it was waiting for then once they were finished getting ready for bed.

The sweet banitsa were perfect as always, and Kerry found the yogurt drink particularly soothing this evening. Annie and he said little as they savored their pastries, but by now there was little Kerry felt there was little left to say. They’d heard everything at the Instructor’s Residence and they’d said what they needed to say about their present and future at their bench. All that remained was for Coraline to check on them before sending them off to their sleep bay—

And then to wait for the dream to come.

Kerry was finishing his third and last banitsa when Coraline walked through the black privacy screen and stood for a moment in silence while she regarded her charges for the evening. “I hope you guys aren’t so wired up on sweets that you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Annie put down her glass of ayran and looked up, smiling. “We didn’t order any powdered sugar on the banitsa.” She reached to her right and patted Kerry’s hand. “I wanted him to get some sleep tonight.”

He finished the last of his yogurt drink. “After I go to the bathroom again.”

“You can do that later. Come on—” She motioned for them to stand and follow her as she made her way past the table and towards the lift. “There’s something I need to do before you guys go to bed.”

Coraline has something planned, and you’ll see what that something is tomorrow when I get to it tonight. And I won’t get distracted, I promise.

What Has Gone Before

Check the Past by Date

It’s been a while since I’ve spoken with you. Perhaps speak isn’t the correct way to put things, but it works for me. In a way, I am speaking to you: I’m dictating this with Dragon software. It seems in the past couple of days Dragon has learned my idiosyncrasies far better than before, and […]